


Signed, Sealed, Delivered

by livxxmarie



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Boys Kissing, Camping, Falling In Love, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, M/M, Natural Disasters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-17
Updated: 2016-08-08
Packaged: 2018-06-08 23:38:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 21,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6880156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/livxxmarie/pseuds/livxxmarie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Link, a lonely twenty-something, signed up for a soulmate program back in college. He didn’t expect his soulmate to be the man who he once called his best friend. He also didn't expect the world to literally crumble around them as soon as they found their way back to each other. Modern day AU where they're both in their early to mid twenties and neither of them have had wives or children.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_The night was dark and Link felt unease takeover his body as he stepped into the alley. He took this path nearly every morning, but he had never been this way in the dark. As he stepped forward cautiously, he heard footsteps behind him. Before he could turn around fully to meet the sound, a cloth was over his mouth and a strong arm was wrapped around his waist, hoisting him into the air as it moved him through the night._

Link woke up for the second time on a shoddy mattress in a clean cell. The floors were impeccably neat and the room itself smelled of sanitary products. He winced as the motion sensor fluorescent light in the middle of the ceiling flickered on, buzzing obnoxiously.

The first time he woke up here, he spent his waking moments in paralyzing anxiety and fear, wondering why he was brought to this place and wondering what happened to him. He tried to open the door that was in the far corner of the room, but it had been latched. He could remember the arms that carried him to this place, but he had no idea who this mystery kidnapper was. He fantasized about the police finding him, but he knew well enough than to pray for rescue. After all, the only people who would realize his absence were his coworkers, and it seemed as if they hardly recognized his existence in the first place.

He had been interrupted that night by a plate of food sliding through a slot on the bottom of the door and a pile of clean clothes. He was puzzled and instantly became fearful to eat anything, but the growling in his stomach took over his wariness and he finished the meal within minutes. This happened only once more, a pile of cotton pajamas sliding underneath the door next to a plate of spaghetti and a glass of water before the slot closed again and sealed itself off with a loud click. Link’s mind flickered to an episode of some crime show he had watched a few weeks ago where the victim was pampered before being sexually abused and murdered, but he shrugged helplessly and ate what was given to him. He changed into the pajamas and went back to his stiff mattress, wracking his brain for any useful details about the night of his kidnapping before sleep eventually overcame him.

As he looked around the room and studied it carefully, he had an overwhelming sense that he was not going to be hurt. Link stretched his back and rolled his shoulder before glancing around, his eyes settling on a bowl of cereal and another pile of clean clothes. This time, there was a small notecard on top of the clothing. Though he was curious, he was immediately hesitant. Link walked over to the fresh clothes and changed before eating the cereal, his eyes skimming over the notecard and his heart lurching at the fresh script.

**_Charles,_ **   
**_Please come to the office at the end of the hallway once you have finished your breakfast. There are some things that the agency needs to fill you in on. Everything will be explained to you during this meeting. Thank you for your cooperation._ **

Link blinked as he reread the message. Agency? What kind of agency kidnaps a guy and locks him in a room for two days? Still, as much as he was befuddled by the note, he felt a wave of relief wash over him. He wasn’t going to be hurt. He was needed for something. Some program, maybe? Whatever it was, Link felt grateful that his life would continue.

He finished his meal and slowly approached the door, turning the handle and finding relief when it clicked open and his eyes adjusted to the brightly lit hallway. He walked slowly, his eyes scanning the building for any hint of what kind of agency he was now to be involved with and looking for a clue as to where this place was hidden. He finally reached his destination—an aluminum door at the end of the hallway, much like the one that was in his room—and carefully stepped inside.

Link’s eyes immediately flashed to the two large windows that faced the west side of the room, casting light onto the dark desk in front of them. There were two chairs at the desk that faced each other and a small stack of paper sat in the middle of the desk, a golden pen placed delicately on top. The brunet felt his feet lead him to the window and he reached a hand out to peel back a blind, revealing a much greener scenery than he had expected.

“It’s a beautiful place, isn’t it?” A warm voice jolted Link out of his curiosity and he turned around sharply, now facing a woman who seemed to have come out of nowhere. She smiled apologetically at him.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Neal. I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m Stevie.” The woman stepped towards him and held out a hand. Link took it and shook it carefully.

“Call me Link,” he responded, clearing his throat. He realized that he hadn’t spoken in two days. His voice sounded dry.

“Please, Link, sit. We have lots to discuss.” Stevie gestured towards the desk and Link picked the seat that was facing the door. Stevie smiled before continuing. “I’m sure you have lots of questions for me.”

“How did you get in here?” Link blurted out, still stuck on the fact that he hadn’t heard the door shut. Stevie laughed, a real genuine laugh, and nodded her head towards a bookshelf at the other side of the room.

“That’s a door. We disguise it so newcomers who are more wary and frantic don’t panic and run out before we have the chance to sit down with them.”  
Link nodded in understanding and felt relief come over him again as he realized that there really was a way out of this place.

“Now, I’d like to get into the details, if you don’t mind. But before I do, I must offer you our sincere apologies. It seems we brought you here a day earlier than intended due to an unfortunate mix-up in scheduling, which is why you were placed in that room overnight.”

Link let out a relieved sigh as Stevie continued.

“Onto the real reason why you’re here. You signed up for an experiment some time back when you were in college about three years ago. Do you recall this?”

“I don’t really remember. What was the experiment?” Link had signed up for a lot of stupid stuff in college with the hopes of getting more money. He prayed that his desperation wasn’t coming back to bite him in the ass.

“It was called Experiment 206,” Stevie replied, sliding a pamphlet towards him smoothly. Link automatically recognized the cover, and felt a weird lurch as he read the title.

**_The Soulmate Experiment_ **

Stevie seemed to recognize his realization and continued on.

“You see, Link, we didn’t have the technology at the time to connect you with your actual soulmate. This experiment was simply a prototype. Now, although it has taken years to finally develop the proper programming, we have found the correct algorithm and can reveal the person we matched you with to you.”

Link’s brow furrowed, but he couldn't help the excitement that bubbled inside of him. He had felt so alone lately, disconnected from everything he ever knew after moving all the way across the country. Finally meeting someone who would be by his side unconditionally was something that he had only dreamed about.

“I know, I know, we have to work on our techniques of getting you all to the building. Because of our highly advanced technology, we have to keep our experiment under wraps for the time being. Also, we aren’t exactly government approved, which is why we had to trap you here until you signed our privacy agreement.” Stevie gestured to the paperwork that sat in the middle of the desk and handed Link the pen. He signed the papers quickly before turning his attention back to the blonde.

“So, wait. Why did you drag me here like that? Was that chloroform? Who carried me?”

“It’s difficult to track down our targets without using government technology. We had to do some illegal activity—nothing major, just took some plasma and compared it with the sample that you gave us during college—so we had to put you out of it. If you weren’t the real Charles Neal, we would’ve had to place you back where we found you. The man who carried you is the same man who took your blood. He’s our medical assistant. His name is Chase. He’s in some hot water right now.

“We kept you here overnight because of a mix-up in the paperwork. Chase mixed up the dates and when it said you were to be brought here on the fourteenth, he brought you in on the thirteenth. Nothing major. I figured it would freak you out quite a bit if no one talked to you, but unfortunately, everyone was stuck in the lab that day and we didn’t have time to fill you in.”

Stevie paused to allow Link to process all of the information she had just told him.

“The most important thing that I need to ask you is if you are willing to spend a week here with the man we have soulmatched you with. If not, that’s completely fine, and you will be sent out back into the world as if nothing had ever happened. If you really do wish to meet your soulmate, you must remember that you are not allowed to leave the resort until the week is up. During that seventh day, you and your soulmate will be subject to questioning to test if our results were correct. It is then your decision whether you and your soulmate will stay together or not. Ultimately, this is all for your wellbeing and happiness, but the agency completely understands if you don’t wish to proceed.”

Link waited a moment before he smiled at Stevie and nodded.

“I am most definitely interested. I’d be happy to stay here and meet the person of my dreams.”

“I’m glad to hear that, Link. Let’s go meet your soulmate. They’re right through this door,” Stevie said. She stood up from her seat and went to the bookshelf, opening it for Link and gesturing for him to step through.

He took two steps inside and his heart caught in his throat as he was met with a pair of dark gray eyes that seemed all-too familiar and a voice that was as rough and sweet as the day he left North Carolina.

Rhett McLaughlin.


	2. Chapter 2

_“I can’t, man. I can’t do it.”_

_“Can’t do what? Support your best fucking friend?”_

_“That’s not what it is, Link.”_

_“Then what is it? Please, tell me. I’m sure it’s a perfectly reasonable explanation, right? Wrong. You can’t because you’re just as ignorant as the rest of the people in this fucking town.”_

_“Link, don’t—_

_“Don’t what? Don’t take this offensively? I haven’t told anyone about this until you. I was so sure that you were gonna support me on this. I was so sure that I completely opened up and now you’re just gonna toss me aside? Throw away over a decade of friendship?”_

_Link glared at Rhett, fire in his eyes as they filled with angry tears. He waited for an answer for a few minutes, but the taller man showed no sign that he was going to say anything more._

_“You know what? Fuck you. I don’t need your fucking friendship. I’ll be out of the dorm by the end of the week. Until then, don’t fucking speak to me.”_

* * *

 

Link’s mouth was open in shock as he took in the sight of Rhett. Stevie was talking to them both, introducing them, but neither man looked anywhere near her direction. Link gulped, remembering the night their friendship fell apart. That was freshman year of college and Link mourned the loss of the friendship for a very long time. It had been hard for him to process.

Link jolted out of his thoughts as Stevie handed him a key.

“You’ll be staying in cabin number 6. There are a few cameras in the cabin, but no footage will be leaked and it will only be used to collect data from, if anything. My associates and I don’t take this privacy issue lightly and will ensure that no one else sees clips from your weeklong stay except for us.”

Stevie flickered her gaze between the two men as she pulled a pamphlet out of her pocket and gestured towards it. Link realized it was a map and noted the small pile of cabins that Stevie was talking about. He repressed a sigh when he realized that it was a bit of a walk, still feeling uneasy from that morning. Everything seemed to come at him so intensely and he wasn’t sure if his emotions could handle it. He felt like he had been stuck on a rollercoaster for two days and he couldn’t find out how to get off. Before he had time to dwell on this thought, Stevie spoke up again.

“There, you’ll find that we have supplied you with everything you’ll need throughout your stay. Think of it as a vacation that someone else has already planned and packed for you. You’ll find a more detailed map of the resort right outside of those doors and it will give you directions to every facility that you’ll be able to use, as well as your cabin. I’d usually stick around to help you find the place, but unfortunately I have a meeting. I trust you two will find everything okay. If you need anything, just come right back to this office and someone will help you.”

* * *

 

Rhett ran a hand through his hair and breathed in as soon as the two men made their way outside. They hadn’t spoken yet and the tension in the air was palpable. Even as Link thought back on their last memory with bitter anger, he couldn’t help but admire how well the man had grown. His hair suited him much better when it was styled upwards and the beard that Link would usually find himself repelled by looked as though it belonged on the tall man’s face, completing his features. He was incredibly attractive, but Link had always found him that way.

“It’s been too long, Link.” Rhett announced, pulling Link away from his thoughts. The shorter man noted the anxiety in his voice and smiled softly.

“It really has. I never thought I’d see you again, if I’m being honest.”

Rhett nodded, fiddling with the map. The pathway was flat and rocky. The resort reminded Link much of a campground and his mind flickered to Camp Carraway, the place he and Rhett spent a few summers at when they were kids.

“I was definitely not expecting to see you on the other side of that door, brother,” Link added, disliking the awkward silence that seemed to fill the air.

“I knew it’d be you.” Rhett’s eyes met Link’s with intense sincerity and the blond man flushed slightly.

Link felt his own face heat up and he broke the eye contact, instead choosing to look at the trees that framed their path. After a few more moments of silence, Rhett spoke up again.

“I always meant to apologize.”

“You never did,” Link snapped, shocking himself. Rhett winced slightly before nodding his head and directing his gaze to the ground.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize I was still pissed about that,” Link added a few moments later. Rhett frowned.

“Don’t apologize. I was an asshole. You have the right to be angry.”

The silence that settled between these brief moments of conversation were heavily laced with tension. Link almost felt regretful that he had accepted the offer to stay here for a week, but remembered quickly that Rhett was his soulmate.

His _soulmate_.

Link had always known he had loved Rhett, probably more than anyone else in his life. He had assumed his feelings of love were simply brotherly until they reached high school and jealousy would settle in his stomach like hot coals every time that Rhett had gotten a new girlfriend or ditched him to go on a date. He had repressed all of his feelings, never even hinting at anything romantic throughout the entirety of their friendship. Even when Link had come out to Rhett, he never once mentioned his infatuation. He kept it all to himself, mourning the loss of his first love at the same time he mourned the loss of his best friend.

It was until right now that Link had assumed that Rhett could’ve never reciprocated. Link realized that Rhett had walked into that same interview room and signed those same papers, knowing full well in his heart that he would be spending a week with the brunet best friend that he left behind in college. Rhett wanted it. Rhett wanted _Link_.

As he had this realization, hot sun beating onto his back and his limbs wobbly from the past two days of stress, Link felt his vision fog up and he lost his balance. Before he could say anything, a frantic arm wrapped tightly around his waist and caught him mid-fall.

“I’m dehydrated.” Link felt his mouth moving but his ears had already begun roaring and his head lolled back. He was only out for thirty or forty seconds, but when he woke up it had felt like he had slept for a lifetime.

“Link? Link, drink this. Wake up and take some water, brother. You can do it,” The unmistakable voice of Rhett filled the brunet’s ears and he blinked away the dark splotches that faded from his vision. He took the bottle of water from the giant man’s hand and sipped slowly on it.

“Sorry about that, I’ve had a rough couple of days,” Link said, his voice weak. Rhett looked at him, alarmed.

“Do you need help standing up? Can you make it to the cabin?”

Link shook his head to say no and moved to raise himself up, but faltered once he noticed his close vicinity to Rhett. He hadn’t seen the man since college graduation three years ago, but he felt electric sparks on his skin as his nose filled with Rhett’s recognizable scent. It was overwhelmingly earthy and warm and it made Link’s head spin as memories of the taller man penetrated his thoughts.

“Link? Are you sure you don’t need any help?” Rhett questioned, already pulling him up as though he were incapable of standing on his own.

Link steadied himself and took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment. Everything felt so intense and all he wanted to do was take a nap.

“We’re almost to the cabin. It’s only about 2 minutes or so away. Right up this path. Come on, brother,” Rhett said, still holding Link’s arm and guiding him up the narrow path. Link’s heart leapt in his throat at the pet name, but he chose to file it away for another time. He wasn’t about to forgive and forget immediately for an incident that they hadn’t even discussed yet.

The cabin was quaint and beautiful, tucked in the back of thick woods. The windows were huge and inviting and there were flowers planted along the front of the porch. Once they stepped inside, Link felt instantly at home. The floors were dark hardwood and it seemed as if the cabin had come straight from a fairytale. The living room was homey and had a large sofa that faced a fireplace, a television directly over it. The kitchen was so modern that it almost felt out of place, but it flowed seamlessly with the open concept layout. There was a spiral staircase nestled in the corner of the house next to the back door that Link grasped onto to retain his balance. The upstairs was one large bedroom and had two doors, one leading to a beautiful upper balcony and the other leading to an extravagant bathroom.

The bed was huge and luxurious and Link felt himself fall in love with the way the silky blankets felt against his skin. He looked up and noticed that the tall blond was standing in the middle of the room with a worried look on his face that disappeared as soon as he noticed Link looking at him.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“C’mon, Rhett. You’re a terrible liar.”

“No I’m not,” Rhett protested, raising his eyebrows and smirking slightly.

“Well, you are to me. I can see right through you.”

Rhett chuckled and Link joined in. He waited expectantly for an answer, but the blond moved towards the stairs again.

“I’m gonna get you some more water.”

Link opened his mouth in protest but Rhett’s impeccable hair had already disappeared down the stairs. Instead, he rolled his head towards the ceiling and let his mind wander.

It had been years since they had seen each other and not a week had gone by that Link’s mind didn’t travel to Rhett at least once. He had convinced himself that he would never see the man again and did his best to push him out of his head, but it had never worked. Link would grow frustrated by this from time to time, angered at his own mind for not allowing him the luxury of moving on. At least now he had a reason. He wasn’t supposed to forget Rhett.

Link sighed as he considered what this week would mean for them both. His original fear that his soulmate would not actually be his ‘soulmate’ was gone and he knew with his entire being that the experiment had been successful. That still didn’t mean that Rhett and Link would end up together, though, did it? It was a possibility that they couldn’t move on from the past and that they’d end up resenting each other and heartbroken. As much as Link wanted to try to start fresh with Rhett, he knew that he couldn’t do that until they had a heart-to-heart conversation.

Rhett appeared again in a few moments, a tall glass of water in his hand and a blanket in the other. Link frowned in confusion.

“For the sofa,” Rhett said, gesturing towards the small love seat against the wall. Link rolled his eyes.

“Is that what you were so worried about?”

“Well, I don’t want to invade your personal space.”

“Don’t be stupid, Rhett. Your back could not handle that cramped couch.” Link patted the area of the bed next to him and gestured for Rhett to join him as he took the drink from his hand and sipped on it.

The tall man sat awkwardly, as far away from Link as he could, as if afraid the brunet would jump up and bite him. Link sighed and sat up even further.

“We have to talk. I was gonna instigate this conversation later, but I can’t have you tiptoeing around me all day.” Link said, his voice light. Rhett nodded and turned towards him, still stiff on the bed. Link opened his mouth to speak again but was interrupted.

“Can I say something first?” Rhett asked, his voice quiet and soft.

“Of course.”

“I have never regretted anything more deeply in my entire life. Not going to you, not apologizing, not saying what I was thinking that night in our dorm; I was an idiot. I was a jackass. I was unforgivably terrible to you, Link.”

“Why didn’t you? What stopped you from coming to me? We were in that college together for four years, Rhett, and you didn’t speak to me once after that.”

“I almost did. There were so many times when I got all the way to your new building and just stood outside, willing myself to be courageous. I always convinced myself that it wasn’t worth it, that you were much better than me. In an alternate universe, I would have had you. The one time that I got really close to doing it, I went straight to your door. It was the day before graduation. I wanted one last goodbye, to mend our friendship at least somewhat. But I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I assumed you wouldn’t have wanted to see me.”

Link nodded. His heart beat sadly in his chest with the painful memories that were coming up, the bittersweet nights of almost calling but chickening out. He wanted to be angry still, but he felt the built up rage melt away.

“I loved you too much to do that to you, Link. I didn’t deserve someone like you. I still probably don’t, but fuck, I am too damn selfish to let you again. I understand if you don’t want me anymore or if you’re disappointed with the experiment. But just spending a week with you in my life again, whatever position you play in it, that’s worth it to me. There hasn’t been a day that has gone by without you crossing my mind.”

Rhett’s voice broke the first sentence in and his eyes were devastated, but he looked at Link with such raw emotion that the brunet wasn’t sure how to form a sentence. Instead, the shorter man took Rhett’s arm in his hand and pulled the tall man towards him into a hug.

“It’s been too long, Rhett. I’m not as hard wired as I used to be. I can’t hold a grudge anymore. And I can’t deny myself you. Not when you’re here, telling me everything I’ve wanted to hear for years. I’m not leaving this place without you.”

* * *

 

The rest of the morning was spent in cautious interviewing of one another, ranging from questions about sexuality to questions about their home life. Link learned that Rhett’s brother, Cole, had two little boys and a little girl. He smiled as Rhett animatedly talked about the toddlers, clearly in love with his niece and nephews. Link talked about his hatred for his job and his desire to escape Fuquay-Varina and head west for newer scenery. They talked for hours before realizing that it had reached late afternoon and made themselves a late lunch.

“It’ll be nice to choose what food to eat today,” Link remarked, grinning excitedly at a box of Frosted Mini Wheats in the cupboard.

“I meant to ask you about what you meant earlier by a rough couple of days. What happened?”

“Mix-up in the paperwork. I ended up trapped in the holding room a day early. I was pretty freaked out.”

Rhett’s eyes widened.

“You were in that tiny room for over 24 hours? That’s ridiculous!”

“I was fine. Thought I was going to be killed at first, but that wore off as they kept feeding me and providing me with clothes. Was a little strange how they brought us here, though.”

“Yeah, I agree. Who does that anyways? Why not just ask? I know they explained it and Stevie seemed genuine, but something just feels. Off. I don’t know.”

Link shrugged and patted Rhett’s hand.

“I’m thankful, either way. I think we can trust them. I can’t imagine how hard it must’ve been for them to track us down.”

“Probably not too bad with a name like Charles Lincoln Neal III. Or Rhett McLaughlin. Never thought I’d be thankful for my abnormal name.”

They ate in quiet calmness, light touches passed occasionally, but still evidently tiptoeing around their attraction. Now that everything was out in the open, Link felt a conflicting swell of emotions every time he thought about touching Rhett, even in the most casual of ways. He wanted to take things slow and relearn him before they dove into romantic intimacy of any sort, whether that was a kiss or much more. Yet, another side of him desperately craved to close the space in between their mouths as they settled down on the couch next to each other. Link felt like a teenager again, his hormones going crazy as he tried to determine whether or not he was too nervous to touch Rhett for fear of rejection or if it was from the simple fact that he might not be able to _stop_ touching Rhett.

It seemed as if the tall blond was also feeling restless on the couch, sitting up and gesturing towards the back porch.

“I think there’s a pool back there. It’s a beautiful day. Want to go for a swim?”

Link contemplated this for a moment and shook his head, the tall man next to him deflating disappointedly.

“I’d much rather find some natural body of water to get in. Wasn’t there one on the map?”

With this, Rhett perked back up again and fished around in his pocket for the map, using his finger to trace the path that they were to take to the swimming hole that was just a short walk away. As they headed out the door, their hands brushing together shyly as they walked, neither man noticed that they had been too eager to remember to change into their swimsuits.


	3. Chapter 3

“Wow, this is bringin’ back some memories,” Rhett said as they looked out onto the glittering swimming hole. Link nodded in agreement, letting the blond direct his nostalgia as he continued. “Do you remember that time in high school that we walked here right after one of those spring dances?”

* * *

 

_It was late April and usually the night air still had somewhat of a chill to it, but Link felt remarkably warm. It had to have been at least eighty degrees and the sweat he had collected at the dance showed no signs of cooling off as they made their way to the creek, laughing about the way Nick danced with his date._

_“I can’t believe it’s so warm out still,” Rhett said, reading Link’s mind like he always seemed to do. Link nodded and made a pained expression as he fanned himself with his shirt. Rhett nodded at Link’s discomfort to indicate that he was in the same state._

_Those gray eyes shifted to the creek in front of them and he shrugged as he lifted up his shirt and took it off, stepping out of his pants as well. Link looked away quickly and felt a blush run up his cheeks. He found comfort in knowing that it wouldn’t be visible in the darkness of the night, but still was embarrassed that these haunting thoughts about his lifelong best friend were tormenting him. Link allowed himself to trail his eyes down the teenager’s tanned body. They lingered on his muscular basketball arms and appreciated the taller man’s long limbs which seemed to grow every day. Rhett had always been attractive, but it was no secret that puberty had turned the man into something special._

_“You comin’, brother?” Rhett asked, turning his gaze to his best friend and smiling as he stepped into the cool water. Link ignored the fireworks that set off in his heart and smiled back, taking off his own clothes and racing past Rhett to plummet under the water._

* * *

 

“That’s a really good memory,” Link stated, dragging himself out of his nostalgia. Rhett nodded affirmatively and smiled. Link hadn’t seen a smile like that since that night and he enjoyed how easily it fell onto Rhett’s face like it had always been there. Suddenly, the man’s carefree expression changed into one of sheepishness.

“Man, we forgot to bring our swimsuits.” Rhett said, the apples of his cheeks turning red. This time, it was Link’s turn to take the lead. He shrugged and threw off his shirt and pants, extending his hand to his tall companion.

“You comin’, brother?”

Rhett smiled and rolled his eyes before shrugging off his own clothes. He reached towards Link’s hand hesitantly, as if he would break the thing. It was now Link’s cue to roll _his_ eyes and he grabbed the blonde’s hand firmly, intertwining their fingers. It was a simple gesture, but it caused the blush on Rhett’s already pink cheeks to intensify at the gentle intimacy it represented.

The water was colder than Link had expected it to be and he let out a shocked yelp after stepping confidently into the deep blue creek, eliciting a laugh from himself and from Rhett. The taller of the two warmed up to it quickly, wading effortlessly into the water. Link joined him despite the cold sting of the liquid and focused on the radiant smile that lit up Rhett’s face. He hadn’t felt this wonderful in years and he was shocked at the love that swelled in his chest for a man that he never thought he would see again.

“Are you too cold?” Rhett asked, wading over to the brunet and sending him a worried look. Link hadn’t felt his teeth chattering until now. He shrugged.

“I’m a bit chilly, yeah. But I’ll be okay.”

Suddenly, Rhett stepped a foot closer to Link and placed an arm around him. He watched Link’s expression carefully, as if he was waiting to be rejected and pushed away, but Link blushed as he smiled up at the taller man and felt his heart skip a beat.

“If someone told me yesterday that I’d be pressed against you right now, feeling better than I’ve felt in years, I never would have believed them,” Link admitted, admiring the bashful smile that took over Rhett’s face.

“I feel like I’m dreaming, if I’m being honest. It doesn’t feel real,” Rhett said, his smile fading slightly as he continued. “Maybe multiverse theory is true and I’ve traveled into a different universe.”

Link laughed at this and nudged Rhett with his elbow.

“I see you haven’t given up your theories.”

“Never,” Rhett replied, sending Link a serious look and following with a wink that had them both laughing.

The dynamic was so easy and familiar. Rhett’s eyes peered down into Link’s, crinkled around the edges like they always did when he smiled so genuinely. The smile that he directed towards Link had the brunet’s stomach doing flips. He had never imagined that this was possible. The world felt so much easier to live in when Rhett was near him. It hadn’t even been 24 hours yet and Link was already feeling like his life had changed completely and everything was going his way. As he stared up at this man that he had so desperately missed, he felt himself unravel and every ounce of tension and loneliness fled from his body.

Life was easier when Rhett was next to him because Rhett had always been his life. The years that they spent apart, while nothing terrible had occurred, felt wrong. Link had felt like something was missing in his life. He hadn’t realized how much of him had needed Rhett until he lost the man, and as he stared into those gray eyes he had dreamed about for years, filled with nothing but joy and love, he melted.

Link was leaning in before he realized what he was doing and met Rhett’s lips with soft wonder that was reciprocated immediately. He sighed into the kiss, reveling in the affectionate gesture and how pleasing it was to feel Rhett’s scruffy beard against his lips and chin. Rhett’s arm came off of Link’s shoulder and instead wrapped around the shorter man’s waist, their bodies turned to face each other straight on at this point. The coldness of the water was forgotten as Link pressed himself into the taller man, his hand gently caressing his remarkably soft hair. They pulled away moments later, both flushed and smiling.

“You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to do that,” Rhett replied, raising his eyebrows as he smiled wider. Link ran a hand through his hair and chuckled.

“I think I might.”

Link wasn’t sure how long they had been staring at each other before one of them closed the distance between them again, this time with more passion and force than before. This kiss was needier than the last, which had been filled with shy curiosity. They craved each other, not realizing how much they had truly desired this intimacy. Years of built up sexual tension and heartbreaking miscommunication had led up to this point and the men entwined themselves completely in the middle of the swimming hole, as if making up for lost time. Rhett’s arms held Link tightly against his own body as Link’s hands clawed gently at the taller man’s back. The kiss was hot and wet but was over before they knew it, both losing air quickly at the intensity of the action. They eventually pulled themselves apart from each other, but stayed close as they continued swimming.

The hesitation that Link could feel radiating off of Rhett beforehand was now nearly diminished as they stayed in the water as if they had never left the creek that night, so many years ago. The added affectionate touches sent thrills through Link’s veins and he felt the muscles in his cheeks growing sore due to the seemingly permanent smile that was on his face.

“I can’t believe I’m here with you and you’re not shoving me away,” Rhett admitted as they relaxed on a rock near the water as the sun began to set and the air grew slightly cooler. Link took the blonde’s hand in his own and looked earnestly into Rhett’s eyes.

“I didn’t plan on running straight towards you when you told me you wanted me, you know. I didn’t plan on forgiving you so easily,” Link replied, pulling Rhett into him. The taller man rested his head on Link’s muscular shoulder and sighed.

“I don’t deserve it.”

“I don’t care whether or not you believe you deserve it. You have me. You’ve always had me. I don’t want to distance myself from you anymore. I’ve missed you too much to be so stubborn,” Link said, resting his head on top of Rhett’s before continuing. “Besides, I can tell how much you’ve missed me. It’s not fair to be so hard on yourself for something that happened so long ago.”

“You’re right.”

“Excuse me? Can you repeat that please?

“Oh, shut up,” Rhett responded, laughing and pinching Link’s side playfully.

“Seriously, could I get a recording of that? I’d like to set it as my ringtone.”

As the words left his mouth, Link stumbled upon the realization that he hadn’t gotten his cell phone back from the agency. Where had they taken it? Before he could voice his curiosity to Rhett, the man’s mouth was already open.

“Speaking of which, did you ever get your phone back? I can’t remember if I left mine at home when they took me or if it just never made it back to me.”

“No, come to think of it, I didn’t. I know I had mine on me. Maybe they don’t want to screw up the data or risk the privacy thing until the experiment is over,” Link replied easily. He shivered from the cold night air that blew a soft breeze onto his still-wet back before turning his attention to their clothes.

“I think we should head back to the cabin before it gets too dark to maneuver back up that path.” Link stood up from the rock and reached his hand out to Rhett, who took it without hesitation. The taller man looked a little sad to leave their spot, so Link continued. “Besides, isn’t it time for dinner by now?”

As expected, the mention of food sparked Rhett’s excitement and he dressed quickly and walked back to the cabin with Link’s hand in his, noticeably more pep in his step. Once they got inside and Link noticed the lack of landline inside the warm woodsy home, he grew a tad uneasy at the thought of having zero communication methods to the outside world. He tried to ignore the unease and followed Rhett into the kitchen and admired the man as he started cooking pasta for the two of them. Determined to spend all of his energy on his new relationship with the man he had loved for decades, he shrugged away his worries and excused them as his usual anxious mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh, a fluffy chapter for your souls today. The next chapter should be fairly fluffy as well, if all goes as planned. But do not fret, my lovelies. Angst is on its merry way. Any feedback is welcome and encouraged, as this is my first serial fic since I was a fourteen year old, and this is the only serial fic that I have actual plans for and actually plan on finishing! Thank you so much for reading.


	4. Chapter 4

The two stayed up for a while and watched some cheesy sitcom together until Link felt his eyes grow heavy and he noticed his companion dozing off. The blue eyed man admired Rhett for a moment, feeling his instinctual urge to reach out and caress his blonde locks. Initially, he resisted as he always had, but he smiled as he realized that it was now an acceptable action. His fingers raked through the hair carefully and Rhett hummed approvingly, opening his eyes slowly and smiling.

“We should get some sleep,” Link whispered, smiling back. He felt like a kid again as he stared at his best friend in the dimly lit room. It was like they had never left Buie’s Creek, the comfortable atmosphere encapsulating Link’s heart in such familiar and distant ways.

Rhett followed Link to the bedroom and settled carefully onto the bed next to the brunet after they had changed into pajamas, his hesitation back as he maneuvered his best to keep a safe distance away from Link, afraid to offend the man. At this action, Link normally would have rolled his eyes and teased the taller man, but he felt the romantic intimacy of the situation and admired the fact that Rhett was so gentlemanly about the entire set up. Still, he craved the physical affection and wanted to reassure his friend that he was allowed to touch him, so he gently pulled himself to Rhett’s side and ran a hand along the taller man’s chest. Rhett relaxed beneath his touch significantly and allowed himself to gather Link in his arms.

Rhett held him for a few moments and Link allowed himself to be held, relishing in how fast his heart was beating at just the action of Rhett touching him in such an intimate way. He had always dreamed of this kind of affection from the taller man and even in his wildest fantasies, he had never felt this ecstatic. Link was hyperaware of every part of his body that touched Rhett, half of his body wrapped lazily around the taller man.

Eventually, this position became uncomfortable for them both and Link moved, kissing Rhett sweetly before doing so and murmuring a loving good night as his eyes grew heavy and he separated himself from Rhett.

 

* * *

 

It took Rhett a moment to realize where he was the next morning, but the first thing he noticed was the sweet lingering smell of something that seemed so familiar in such an unfamiliar way. As his eyes adjusted to the room around him and he recognized the beautiful raven locks that tickled his nose and smelled so distinctly of Link, he recalled the memories of the day before and smiled.

Sometime during the night, the brunet had flipped back around and had cuddled up to Rhett, who apparently accepted him willingly. Rhett’s arm was holding Link against him and their legs were intertwined. Link’s head had shifted from his own pillow to Rhett’s and he was nearly nestled in the taller man’s shoulder. Rhett felt a sudden swell of emotion overtake him as he realized how blessed he was to be in this position of intimacy. Link had accepted Rhett so quickly back into his life and into his heart and the love that Rhett always feared would be unrequited and painful was eagerly returned to him. Rhett hadn’t felt so alive in years, having tortured himself over the ‘what-ifs’ and regrets of that night in college. But now, he held the man that he had been in love with since he knew what love was, and the world around him filled with intense vibrancy.

The brunet shifted against him, an indication that he was waking up, and Rhett chuckled softly as soft locks tickled his nose even more. Link pulled his head back to look at Rhett with beautiful blue eyes that took the taller man’s breath away and he felt that he couldn’t resist to kiss the man gently on the lips, savoring the blush that grew on Link’s cheeks afterwards.

“Good morning,” Link breathed, his voice slightly rough with sleep. He suddenly noticed their intimate cuddling and blushed slightly brighter, scratching his head sheepishly. “Sorry about invading your personal space last night. I tend to sleep with reckless abandon.”

Rhett didn’t respond verbally and simply kissed the man again. It was only two days ago that Rhett couldn’t imagine a world where he would be allowed to do that, but now that he started, he didn’t think he would ever be able to stop. When he pulled away and Link attempted to remove himself from their position, Rhett tightened his grip on the shorter man’s waist and dove his head into the crook of his neck. Link let out a breathy chuckle and held onto the blond.

“Did you sleep well?” Rhett asked, running a hand along Link’s side.

“Better than I’ve ever slept before.”

Rhett grinned at this and reveled in the honesty that filled the statement. Although it was simple, it indicated so much for Rhett, confirming that the previous day was not simply a dream come true and that Link really was here, in his arms, loving him like he had never stopped. As he went over these thoughts in his head, his stomach growled loudly.

“Want to go get breakfast, brother?” Link asked, stroking Rhett’s hair like it was second nature. Rhett shook his head fervently.

“I want to stay like this for a few more minutes.”

Link seemed pleased with this answer and pressed a kiss against Rhett’s head. The taller of the two sighed happily.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” Link admitted. Rhett pulled back from his position to look the man in the eyes, sensing an intensity in the statement by the way Link’s voice nearly broke. His blue eyes were glistening with awe and he reached out a hand to caress Rhett’s bearded cheek. Link pulled Rhett close to him and kissed him passionately, unspoken words easily interpreted by the action.

Rhett couldn’t think of a time when he didn’t love the younger man. His world had always revolved around the brunet, even when they were separated and hadn’t communicated in years. Every day that he was away from Link, his world was dull. Nothing felt better than being around Link and every second that Rhett had spent in agonizing regret, mulling over his idiocy and his lost friendship, every moment that the blond had gone without Link in his life was forgotten. Nothing mattered except for here and now, this beautiful man in his arms and loving him and his heart exploding into wonderful fireworks.

After so many years of holding in his love, Rhett could now show it, and he didn’t plan on repressing it any longer. He murmured the words as they parted and the teary smile that broke out on Link’s face was enough of a reciprocation for him. Moments later, as Rhett stared into blue oceans that he wished he could swim in, Link returned the statement and Rhett closed his eyes and felt himself fall deeper into an everlasting love.

 

* * *

 

“What do you want to do today?” Rhett asked during breakfast, pushing the pamphlet towards Link as he took a bite of toast.

“I didn’t have anything in mind. Maybe we could go look for the other couples here. It says here that they’re having a cookout around lunch that’s being hosted by the agency. It’s optional, but I think it’d be nice to go,” Link replied, his eyes scanning the pamphlet carefully as he dropped his spoon into his cereal gracelessly. “Until then, we could go back to the swimming hole unless you had something else in mind?”

“I was going to suggest the swimming hole, too. I saw that there were some basketball and tennis courts and a few trails, but it’s already so warm in the day. Plus, I think I should wait a bit longer before kicking your butt at sports,” Rhett said with a wink. Link furrowed his eyebrows and flexed mockingly, claiming that he was simply sparing Rhett the embarrassment of the loss.

As they headed to the swimming hole, arm in arm, Rhett couldn’t help but wrap an arm around the brunet despite the heat. They positioned themselves onto the rocks as they had the night before, completely cloaked in the shade of the tree behind them. They settled into easy flowing conversation, smiling eagerly at one another.

Rhett felt younger with every second he spent with Link, his youth flashing before his eyes and his heart beating excitedly in his chest. Link’s eyes were even bluer in the shade and Rhett spent most of the conversation trying not to trip into their depth, failing to clutch at reality as he was dragged into a universe that was simply Link. His memory briefly visited a similar place in a similar situation that happened many years ago, Rhett stumbling over his words as they relaxed by the creek and feeling his face heat up at any hint of prolonged eye contact. Now, he melted into the radiant smile of the man before him, kissing him tenderly when there was a silence and Rhett saw his chance. He held his world in his arms and told him everything he had always wished he had said but had never found the proper way to form the words. They fell into a peaceful existence, ignoring their surroundings and living in their own conversation.

It was a wonder they felt the ground begin to shake beneath them with vigor in time to move out of the way of the tree that split behind them and crashed through their bliss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the plot thickens.


	5. Chapter 5

Link sighed heavily as he shifted his weight around in the tent, thinking about how much his life had changed in the past few days. He went from never expecting to see Rhett again to having a real, firm relationship with him with full knowledge that they were _soulmates_. He went from blissful early romance to huddling against each other for warmth, fear of what the next day would bring eating them to their core. Link sniffled, realizing that he had been crying, and felt the man next to him stir.

“We’re going to be okay,” Rhett whispered, pulling Link closer to him and kissing his temple gently. Link admired the man for remaining so calm, but his anxiety still wasn’t quelled. He didn’t respond to Rhett audibly and simply burrowed himself into the blonde’s chest.

* * *

After the earthquake had started, it was like a domino effect. The world around them began to crumble apart, avalanches and floods springing up moments afterwards. The environment around them seemed to be out to get them. Link had grabbed Rhett’s arm and started running, determined to get to their cabin and out of the eye of what seemed to be the apocalypse. As they reached what should have been their sanctuary, Link let out a choked gasp as he stared at a demolished home, the avalanche having crushed most of the back of the house and the giant trees smashing the rest of the place as the earth had shaken them to their fall.

They attempted to walk into the house for some supplies and came out with only a tent from the back shed, a few small tools, as much rations as they could find that were useable in the destroyed kitchen, and blankets & pillows that they gathered from the chest in the living room. It seemed as if life around them had ceased and Link felt so hopeless that he nearly gave up right then, throwing his head up to the sky and glaring into the clouds, angry at the universe.

Rhett had remained brave, pulling the brunet into his arms and hushing him gently. They stayed like that for a long time, Link’s head pressed into Rhett’s chest and his arms wrapped tightly around the blonde as his large hand ran comfortingly through Link’s hair. The first few hours after the erosion of the world around them had started were spent finding a place to camp that was safe from the possibility of being crushed by falling trees or avalanching debris. They had discussed venturing outside of their familiar spots and Link had suggested that they head back down to the main building to get help, but the flooding of the pond had stopped them in their tracks and forced them to stay in their own section of the resort.

* * *

 

“We are going to go to the building tomorrow once the flood drains. By then, the facility will have already called the authorities and people will be here by then. We’re going to be okay, baby. I promise.”

Link nodded and sighed, allowing for some of his tension to dissipate. He pressed a kiss to Rhett’s clothed chest and the taller man ran his hand down Link’s back in an attempt to comfort him.

“This is just like when we used to go camping by the creek,” Rhett said, a smile evident in his voice. Link chuckled.

“I wouldn’t say it’s _just_ like that, but I guess it is pretty similar.”

“Hey, at least I might get some sleep during this camping trip.”

“Why didn’t you sleep when we were kids?”

“Got too cold. Now that I have a human heater glued to me all night long, I don’t see that being a problem,” Rhett replied, tickling Link teasingly.

“Hey, I didn’t hear you complaining this morning,” Link shot back, laughing.

“I’m not complaining now, am I?” Rhett smiled and pressed his face into Link’s hair. They rested in silence together for a few moments, listening to the gentle breeze that sifted through the trees right outside of their tent.

“I love you,” Link said softly. He reveled in the fact that he could admit that out loud now without backing it up immediately with _brother_.

As he turned to face the blonde and kiss him chastely, he was met with watery gray eyes that held such intensity that it took Link’s breath away. Rhett was staring at him like he was the best thing on the planet, as if simply looking at Link diminished all of the destruction and hopelessness that they were surrounded by. Rhett brushed his hand against Link’s cheek and met his eyes in a way that made Link’s heart leap in his chest.

“I love you.”

Link leaned eagerly into Rhett’s lips, capturing them with his own and cupping the taller man’s face with his hand. The kiss was gentle and yet still filled with passion, Link doing his best to hold himself together as he melted into the arms of a man he had loved longer than anyone before. As they kissed, Rhett’s arm pushed Link up for more leverage and ran his hand through the man’s dark hair. The kiss was one of relief and love and Link felt himself fall even harder, something he never considered possible.

They kissed for what seemed to be only a matter of minutes, but Link knew it had been longer when he opened his eyes and they felt significantly heavier than they did before. The night had grown much colder and he pulled more covers over his shoulders. Rhett had moved positions at this point so that he was the one cuddling into Link, his impossibly long legs forced to be bent so they didn’t kick the tent. His head was under Link’s arm and the brunet was rubbing circles into Rhett’s back. He had completely forgotten about the events of that day, his mind only filled with thoughts of his love as he closed his eyes and took in Rhett’s sweet scent.

Link fell asleep easily, feeling more relaxed than he would have ever thought possible after a day like today, Rhett’s head nestled against him as his fingertips lightly traced Link’s collarbone. Everything around them had crumbled to pieces, but with Rhett in his arms, Link felt like the luckiest person in the universe.

* * *

Rhett woke up with the painful reminder that he had spent the previous night on the ground in a tent, his body curled in a way that sent a sharp pain down his back, as if his body was reprimanding him for not stretching out more in the middle of the night. He took in the sight of the man beneath him, sleeping soundly, and kissed the brunet’s cheek gently. Blue eyes opened slowly and he was sent a lazy smile before being tugged down gently against Link’s chest, a kiss pressed into his hair.

“Mornin’,” Link mumbled, releasing the blonde from his grip and rubbing his eyes with the heel of his palm.

Rhett sat up and stretched his back, relieved when he heard it crack all the way down and sighing as some of the tension was released. He smiled back at Link and had almost forgotten why they had slept in the tent until the ground beneath them began to shake, less vigorously than yesterday but still enough to send a volt of panic through his brunet companion.

“Rhett,” Link started, his eyes suddenly alert as if he had been awake for hours. Rhett met the blue eyes with concern and took the man’s hand into his own reassuringly.

“We aren’t near anything that could hurt us. We’re okay. We’ll wait until it passes and then head down to the main building.”

Link nodded at this, but Rhett knew that the brunet was filled to the brim with anxiety.

“Hey. You’re okay. I’m okay. I love you,” he said, taking Link into his arms. Link was still tense, but a slight amount of his tension decreased and he returned the sentiment, holding Rhett by the waist as the ground shook.

It stopped moments later, as if it were a delayed aftershock from the earthquake of less than twenty-four hours ago. Link relaxed even more after a half an hour had passed without any signs of movement and it was evident that the earthquakes were done for the time being. Rhett kept the conversation light and focused on the building that he was sure would be their salvation. The shorter man still looked anxious, but the more that Rhett discussed the plan, the less shaky Link’s hands were and the tension in his back began to subside.

They planned to set out for the bottom of the resort as soon as they had eaten breakfast, both blissfully unaware of what was waiting for them at their destination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long for me to get this chapter up! I wrote the full thing and then decided that I didn't like where it was going, had a week or so of writer's block, and then finally came up with enough motivation to crank this chapter out. Angst to follow! Feedback is welcomed. Thank you for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

“What are we going to do?” Link asked, his voice barely above a whisper. His eyes were bloodshot and Rhett could tell that he was on the verge of panicking.

They had been walking for just a little over fifteen minutes when they saw the building, desolate and abandoned, as if every person inside had simply up and disappeared. The world around them seemed to be falling apart, black clouds forming in the sky and blocking out the sunlight. They had no way out. There was nothing waiting for them—no firefighters, no rescue crew, no one. They were left alone.

Rhett held Link’s hand tightly as he tried to come up with a plan. He knew it was useless to stay in this area, fully aware that if the world truly was coming to a close, they would never be found in isolated North Carolina. Were they even still in North Carolina?

“It’s early in the day, still,” Rhett started, doing his best to sound confident in order to save Link the worry. “Let’s go get our stuff from the campsite and head out to find a road.”

Link nodded, looking somewhat relieved to have a game plan, but his blue eyes never left the abandoned building. He looked as if he was being hypnotized by the place, blue gaze fixed upon the door that they had just exited just days before. Suddenly, his eyes turned to Rhett’s and he gestured out into the woods.

“Can I be alone for a minute?” Link inquired, his voice gentle.

“I’ll go up and pack up, okay? You can either meet me up there or I’ll meet you down here. Take as much time as you need,” Rhett replied, smoothing a hand down Link’s arm and kissing his forehead. Link sent him a grateful look and headed towards a large rock that was just a few feet away.

* * *

 

 

Rhett was thankful for the time he had alone and used it to think about things and try to devise a smarter plan. He knew that they would need more than just what they had in the tent and tried to think if they had any tools that could be useful for gathering food or water. The weight of the situation suddenly dropped on him as he realized that he had no idea which direction the nearest road would be. He sighed heavily and sat on the steps to the now destroyed cabin, two bags at his feet as he placed his face in his hands and rubbed his eyes.

Footsteps approached and drew him out of his thoughts and he looked up, a small smile breaking out on his face as he was met with the most beautiful cornflower eyes he had ever had the pleasure of seeing.

“Hey, buddyroll. You okay?” Link took a seat next to the blonde and threw an arm around the taller man. Rhett looked out, studying the trees that surrounded them and sighed again.

“I don’t know, Link. But there should be a road around here somewhere. I think I got everything we’ll need for at least three days. After that, we’re bound to have reached some kind of paved road that we can follow to find more people.”

Link nodded understandingly and squeezed Rhett’s hand.

“You’re much quieter than you used to be,” the blonde commented curiously, switching the conversation. Link shrugged.

“I’m just not used to being around people anymore. I don’t communicate much at my job and I don’t have any real close friends that I talk to regularly.”

“I don’t either. It’s just weird. Not hearing you talk, that is.” Rhett rubbed circles into Link’s leg as he spoke. “You used to be such a chatterbox.”

Link smiled sadly at this and kissed Rhett’s cheek.

“I gotta say, darlin’, there isn’t much I’m up for talking about. Things aren’t looking too good for us. But I promise, I’m still a chatterbox. Just haven’t had anyone to chat to these days.”

* * *

 

After rechecking their bags for what felt like the fifteenth time, Link was confident enough in their supplies to head back down towards the building and what they hoped would turn into a road. He was frustrated to no end with their predicament, but he figured there had to have been a road that led up to the building. They couldn’t very well have been transported here by foot.

As they reached the front of the building, Link’s eyes caught on a strange contraption and he ventured towards it, confirming his suspicions with a weary sigh. It was almost like a ski lift as an entrance and the brunet groaned frustratingly at the sight of it, realizing that they were probably not going to find a road nearby for at least another day of travel. He glanced at Rhett, who stood by his side, and he had already made the connection in his brain and looked as if he was thinking out a new plan.

“We should head north,” the blonde stated with a confident nod of his head. Link rolled his eyes.

“Great plan. You know, since we totally have a compass. Why don’t we just get in a car and drive off?” Link snapped.

He felt frustrated at their entire situation and all he wanted was to be alone back in his room, away from all of this disaster. Still, he knew it wasn’t Rhett’s fault and guilt immediately washed over him after he made the comment and looked at Rhett, prepared to apologize. The man was already looking at him with a look that said _I’m used to your sass by now_ and had opened his mouth to speak again.

“If we wait until nightfall, we’ll see the north star. We can just follow whichever direction that’s in. North always leads you home, right?” Rhett said, heading back towards the building. Link followed him and grabbed his hand.

They set their bags outside of the modern building and Link stared at the place bitterly. It was bullshit. There were left out there, all alone, and the people who ran this stupid experiment hadn’t even bothered to send help for them.

They had both forgotten about the storm that was brewing above them until that point, large heavy raindrops pouring down on them as they clambered their way through the doors of the building, dragging their stuff inside as well. Rhett turned the lights on and dragged some chairs over as Link fiddled with their bags and made sure that none of the food got too wet.

“This place is pretty tiny for a scientific research center. Where’s the camera room?” Rhett asked, observing the space around them.

Link wondered that as well and gestured towards the part of the building that neither of them had been in. They had both left the place as soon as they exited the small holding area and the interview room on the left side of the building, but neither had gotten to see the right side of the space at all. Rhett shrugged and reached a hand out to Link and they walked through the place.

Nothing that they found was very intriguing. A few empty water bottles, computers on desks that were locked with a password and drawers that were locked with keys, and a break room that was almost completely devoid of snacks. The fridge was completely empty besides a case of water bottles that the two men looked at with appreciative eyes, loading the bottles into their bags. They reached the camera room, which was unfortunately locked from the inside and had no windows to look through. Both men sighed disappointingly and made their way back to the main lobby, the room they’d placed all their stuff in.

* * *

 

After setting up the mattress from the small room that Link had stayed in before seeing Rhett again in the lobby, Rhett had remembered a sofa nestled in the corner of the room directly outside of the interview room, right before the main lobby. Once they had set everything up the way they wanted it, the two noticed that the storm had finally passed. It had only gone on for an hour or so, but the flooding that they noticed from the sliding glass doors at the back of the building was worrisome, to say the least, and both of the men had been questioning whether or not they would have to find another place to stay.

Link settled onto the couch beside Rhett and took in the sight of the blonde. He was clearly distressed, his eyes frantically flickering as he thought very hard about something, and Link felt compelled to reach out to the tall man and place his hand delicately on his knee.

“What are you thinking about?”

“My family.”

“I’m sure they’re okay.”

“No, Link. You’re not sure. I’m not sure. There’s no way to be sure.” Rhett replied angrily. Link moved his hand away from Rhett’s knee and took the taller man’s hand instead.

“You’re right. I’m not sure. But all you can do is hope, Rhett.”

The blonde had remained so stoic throughout the past few days, Link relying on him for comfort and relinquishing full control to the more levelheaded man. Link shook his head at himself. It wasn’t fair for him to put that much pressure on Rhett. He obviously had things to be worried about. Keeping Link calm in such a dire situation shouldn’t have been one of them.

“I’m sorry.” Rhett said, pulling Link out of his thoughts. He kissed the blue-eyed man softly.

“Don’t apologize. And don’t worry about me, okay?” Link replied. Rhett scoffed.

“Easy for you to say, clumsiest man on Earth.” Rhett jabbed, smirking. Link laughed.

“You’re the one who almost killed us in the Omega.”

“But what about you with the car full of people? You almost killed a _crapload_ of people, man.”

They laughed, reminiscing on their past adventures, shaking their heads at what idiots they were ten years ago. After a few more shared stories they recounted together, Link patted Rhett’s knee and looked at him sincerely.

“Seriously. The shock period is over for me. I’m good now. You don’t have to act so strong all of the time. It’s okay for you to be upset, too.”

At this, Rhett’s eyes welled up and he took Link into his arms gently, pressing his nose against the brunet’s dark locks.

“Thank you,” the man whispered, holding Link tightly to him. A few moments later, he released the shorter of the two and Link smiled up at him, kissing him lightly.

“Talk about it.” Link pressed, nodding encouragingly. And Rhett did.

He talked about how afraid he was for his family. He talked about how they were all he really had and about how much he always wanted to have kids. He talked about his wariness for the day ahead, even though today was still not over. He talked about how worried he was that they were not in North Carolina anymore and what that would mean when they got out. At one point, he turned to Link and grasped his leg tightly.

“I’m scared to get out of here. I’m scared of what that’s going to be like.”

“I’m sure this weather hasn’t devastated everything, brother. There’s still gonna be a world out there.”

Rhett shook his head and intertwined their fingers.

“I’m not unreasonable. I know that there will be a world out there for us to live in. I’m just afraid that we’re gonna get out there and there won’t be a world for _us_ to live in. Together.”

Rhett’s gaze was fixed on their hands and he bit his lip anxiously before continuing.

“I know you love me right now, but what’s going to happen when you realize you can do better? What’s going to happen when we find our way out of here, if that ever happens, and you don’t want the same things that I do?”

Link squeezed Rhett’s hand and gray eyes finally met his own, hesitant and earnest.

“You’re my soulmate, Rhett. That’s what this trip was about. I’m not going to find someone out there that’s better for me than you. I may have gone a long time without you, but I’m not willing to do that anymore.” Link shifted towards Rhett more and paused to look him directly in the eyes, making sure the blonde understood the honesty behind his words.

“As for not wanting the same things, just know that I think you’re crazy for suggesting that one, buddyroll. I have followed you wherever you’ve gone since we were kids. Hell, I followed you to college when I had the chance to go to film school instead. It was never a question to me, Rhett. It sure won’t be one now.”

It felt like such a serious conversation to have and almost seemed ridiculous, given the situation that they were in at the moment. Link blushed at his own admission, never having spoken about how much he did simply to be with Rhett when they were teenagers. Still, he knew that it was helpful to say to Rhett, given the smile that he was returned with, and Link reveled in how beautiful his life was with this ray of sunshine in it, no matter the circumstance.

“It’s still early afternoon. You want to head out to try and find some dry firewood?” Link asked, nodding his head towards the door, his eyes still transfixed on Rhett’s gorgeous face.

“Sure, baby. Let’s go.”

 _That pet name may kill me before we have the chance to get out of this place_ , Link thought, his face bright red.

* * *

 

They were only out there for ten or fifteen minutes when Link heard a crash, followed by Rhett yelling weakly for Link’s attention. He was gesturing to his ankle as his face was fixed with pain, looking up at the shorter of the two with anxiety painted clearly over his features. They had only been apart for a few minutes, Link deciding to go back in and grab some waters for them as to prevent another dehydration spell. As soon as the noise hit his ears, Link panicked and sprinted towards his companion.

The tall man had scrapes all over his legs at this point, but as he rested on the ground, Link’s focus shifted to a medium sized tree that had fallen and was now on top of Rhett’s leg.

“I think I just broke my ankle.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's gonna happen next? Who knows? Well, I do. Kind of. Anyways. Feedback is welcomed! Thanks for reading!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I planned on this being much more dramatic and angsty, but I was in such a fluffy mood and needed to write in some more kisses so I saved the drama for next chapter.

As if on cue, the sky above Rhett opened up and rain started slamming against them again, the storm more brutal than it had been before. He shivered as he looked up at Link, doing his best to ignore the pain that shot through his ankle and focusing instead on beautiful blue eyes. They flickered to Rhett’s own eyes and looked frantic for a moment before Link pulled off his shirt and straightened it out in his hands.

“This is going to hurt,” Link prepared, kneeling down next to Rhett and taking the tall man’s hand. Rhett nodded in understanding and closed his eyes, squeezing Link’s hand momentarily until he pulled it away to get to work.

Link quickly fastened the shirt around Rhett’s ankle to hold it in place, using a stick next to him to keep it straight and aligned as to speed up the healing process. Rhett let out a pained yelp as the brunette worked, but he held in the rest through gritted teeth. He focused instead on the rain that had turned Link’s hair into a shaggy mess. The blue eyed man had taken his glasses off when the rain started up again and Rhett marveled at how young he looked without them on. It seemed like they were back in the familiarity and safety of their hometown for a moment as Rhett stared at the face of his best friend, but the illusion was gone before it truly started and Link looked up at Rhett to indicate that he was finished wrapping the wound.

Sitting up, Rhett grabbed Link’s hand again, but was surprised when the brunette shook his head wobbly and sat down next to him, rain cascading over them without any signs of slowing down. Rhett took in Link’s pale complexion and frowned at the man, confused as to why they weren’t moving towards shelter and security.

“I need a minute,” Link said, his voice weak. Rhett looked down at his newly-wrapped ankle and took note of small patches of red that had seeped through Link’s shirt.

“Still gettin’ woozy over a little blood? Don’t go fainting on me, now. I’ll have to eat you. It’s a dire situation we’re in, buddyroll,” Rhett tossed out, his voice light and playful. Link smirked weakly at this and jabbed his elbow into the blonde’s ribs.

“You seem to forget that you can’t move on your own without my help anymore. I could just leave you out here to suffer,” Link replied, his voice gaining strength. He leaned his head on Rhett’s shoulder.

It was easy to laugh with Link, no matter the situation. Rhett never forgot the time that they nearly died in the Cape Fear River, both in a nearly hypothermic state, doing his best to keep Link calm by throwing out jokes. The brunette never failed to laugh then and shoot one back, discussing how it was only a matter of time before their toes turned blue and fell off. It was a completely realistic expectation, but the danger of their situation completely ignored as the two laughed about it, teeth chattering.

“I’m good now. Still don’t know how I’m supposed to carry you back to our makeshift home, you freakin’ giant. Maybe I should leave you out here. At this rate, you could act like a dam if it starts flooding.” Link laughed at his own joke and Rhett laughed along, but the agony of his ankle was refreshed and he sucked in a sharp gasp as Link lifted him slightly.

“Son of a bitch,” Rhett barked, squeezing his eyes shut tightly and balling his hands into fists. He forgot how much it hurt to break a bone. Link’s movements slowed slightly, but didn’t stop.

“As soon as I get you up on your, er, foot, I guess? I want you to try to hop to building. Do you think you can do that for me, brother?” Link asked, huffing slightly as he held Rhett’s weight. The taller of the two simply nodded, his lip stuck between his teeth to keep from crying out again.

Link lifted him up and held him by the waist tightly, his other hand gripping the air as if it wanted to help the process, too far away to do anything remotely useful. Rhett hopped, his left leg suspended behind him to prevent it from touching the ground, and Link made sure that neither of them fell.

“You know,” Rhett started, huffing in air as they made their way to shelter. “It’s pretty—ow—pretty ironic that you’re the one—you’re keeping us steady. You’re usually so damn—so clumsy.”

As if on cue, Rhett’s foot caught on a branch and he yelped in pain, which in turn frightened Link, who stumbled and nearly fell. He caught Rhett halfway through his own fall, their chests now flush together as they took in labored breaths.

“You spoke too soon, oh wise one.” Link replied, raising an eyebrow. His attitude flickered back to one of concern almost instantly. “Can you keep moving like this? Do you need a break?”

“Only ten more feet. It’d be such a waste to just quit now. Besides, I’m a McLaughlin. McLaughlin’s ain’t quitters,” Rhett added, taking on a thick southern drawl. Link rolled his eyes and the playful look was back.

They continued towards the building and were inside in no time, soaked from head to toe. Link led Rhett to the couch and set him down as he began to try to pull a meal together. Rhett studied the brunette as he continued fiddling with their supplies and whispering complaints to himself about the way the wet fabric felt against his skin. His expressions changed so significantly that it fascinated Rhett. It always had, the taller of the two marveling at how easily readable Link was, even as kids.

“Alright, I give up.” Link tossed the bag that held their food in his hand on the floor and ran a hand through his wet hair. “There’s no way I’m going to be able to think straight until I get these freakin’ clothes off.”

Link changed quickly and Rhett gestured for him to bring the bag of clothes to the couch. He searched for a while until he found a large pajama shirt that he ripped right down the middle to make it bigger. He winced at the thought of changing the makeshift cast, but he knew it had to be done as he looked down at the soaking wet material that rubbed irritatingly against his skin.

“You should change out of those clothes, too,” Link said, picking at Rhett’s shirt with his fingertips. Rhett nodded in agreement and moved to sit up, wincing in pain as his foot moved beneath him.

“This is freaking ridiculous. There’s no way we’re going to make progress with me like this.” Rhett glared down at his broken ankle and rubbed his forehead with his hand.

“Here. Let me help,” Link replied, lifting Rhett’s shirt over his head. He looked at the bare skin distastefully and Rhett suddenly felt self-conscious, reaching to place a new shirt on quickly. Link took Rhett’s hand before he could find what he was looking for and shook his head.

“No, no, not yet. Your skin is so wet, it’ll just soak the new shirt you put on. Could I—Well, would you let me—“ Link blushed as he stumbled through his words and laughed a bit at himself, running a hand through his dripping hair before continuing. “Can I dry you off first?”

Rhett laughed at the oddity of Link’s sudden bashfulness, but nodded anyways and did his best to readjust himself without causing himself any further pain. The brunette shook his head again and smiled cheekily, his cheeks still red.

“Your pants need to come off, McLaughlin,” Link said, gesturing to the wet shorts that adorned Rhett’s legs.

“Oh. Yeah. Those,” Rhett replied, blushing. He undid the button and zipper and moved to take them off, but hissed loudly as his ankle throbbed in protest. “Um, do you think you could help?”

Link simply nodded, the red tinge of his face still intense. He slid Rhett’s shorts off with ease and quickly patted the tall man’s legs dry with one of the towels they had brought, tugging them gently through a pair of pajama pants that they had found in the cabin. He then turned his attention to Rhett’s chest, working more thoroughly on this area, moving the towel delicately across his skin.

Rhett’s heart was racing and he was almost certain that Link could feel it, but the man was so enthralled in the task at hand that he paid no mind. The brunette pressed himself closer, his face hovering only inches above Rhett’s as he worked the towel over the tall man’s shoulders, and Rhett’s breath caught in his throat. Realizing how easy it would be to lean up and kiss the man, the blonde tilted his face up and met Link’s lips in one swift movement, smiling as the blue-eyed man gasped slightly from surprise above him before reciprocating.

“What was that for?” Link asked after Rhett pulled away, smiling. Rhett’s cheeks formed circles as he smiled back.

“Because I can,” Rhett replied, leaning up and kissing Link once more. The brunette rolled his eyes as they pulled away and laughed.

“Alright, well now you gotta stop so I can finish drying you off.”

“I don’t know if I can do that, buddyroll.” Rhett smiled mischievously pulled Link forward a little more forcefully, kissing him much deeper than before.

They pulled away moments later, both now out of breath, and Link shoved Rhett playfully.

“Okay, I’m definitely starting to believe that you’re just playin’ me with this ankle business. Sit up further so I can get your back.”

Rhett quirked an eyebrow up, but obliged.

“Why would you think that?”

“You’re in an awfully good mood for someone that just broke a bone,” Link replied, moving so that he could reach the blonde’s back easier.

“I didn’t realize that was an issue. If you want, I can whine more. I’ll be a real buzzkill.” Rhett shot back, laughing at his own joke.

“Oh, hush.”

* * *

 

The rain didn’t stop, but neither man had the emotional capability of discussing the dire situation that they were in. They knew that Rhett’s injury had changed their plans significantly and they were aware that it was improbable to think about trying to go find help. Still, both were too exhausted from the day’s events to sit down and have a real conversation about what they were to do. Instead, they traded jokes and laughed like nothing was wrong, ignoring the rain and the panic that the prospect of the outside world would bring them come morning.

They were resting on top of the mattress that they had pulled into the lobby, the small size forcing Link to be nearly on top of Rhett, the tall man’s ankle suspended on a coffee table that they had pushed over. His other foot and some of his calf was dangling off of the mattress, but he didn’t mind. Link was nestled against him, his head pressed into Rhett’s neck as his breath danced across the sensitive skin there.

“I love you. I know I’ve said that a lot today, but it’s true.” Rhett said, his voice quiet.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of hearing that.”

“Oh really?” Rhett asked mischievously, turning his head to press his face into Link’s soft hair. “I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you.”

Link laughed beneath him and shook his head. Rhett couldn’t see his face, but he knew the man was rolling those beautiful blue eyes.

“Hey Link?”

“Yeah?” The shorter of the two sat up a little, eyes flashing to Rhett’s leg in concern.

“I love you.”

“You jerk!” Link replied, laughing loudly. “I thought you were hurt or somethin’, man!”

“You thought wrong.” Rhett pulled Link back down to where he was before, missing the closeness. “But guess what?”

“Let me guess: you love me.”

“That’s right, brother.”

“I love you too, Rhett.”

With that, they both drifted into peaceful sleep, both ignoring the reality that neither of them were willing to face just yet, holding each other close as they dreamt of an easier morning.


	8. Chapter 8

Morning came and Link pressed his face into Rhett’s shoulder, shielding his eyes from the bright sunlight that shone through the windows right onto his skin. He was suddenly unbearably warm and sat up slowly to get out of the sun’s rays, doing his best not to disturb his sleeping companion.

Link glanced at the damaged ankle and felt a sharp stab of anxiety hit his chest. He knew they had to get out of the area, but the idea of hiking out into the unknown with Rhett in his condition seemed ludicrous.

“G’morning, darlin’.” Rhett’s sleepy voice dragged Link back to Earth and he allowed himself to smile at how Rhett sounded so much more southern when he first woke up. The blonde pulled Link back down against him and kissed him lazily on the head.

“Good morning, Rhett,” Link whispered into Rhett’s beard, anxiety barely dissipating, pressing a light kiss into a scruffy cheek. Rhett hummed.

“I love the way you say my name.” He pulled Link closer, the brunette smiling into the contact, but winced immediately and was suddenly completely awake. Link moved off of him with an apologetic look and turned his gaze to the door, frantic.

“I don’t know what we’re going to do about today.”

“You’re going to leave me here to go find help.” Rhett’s expression was firm, but Link saw the fear that hit his features for a split second.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Rhett. I’m not leaving you here.”

“You have to.”

“I don’t have to do anything. We’ll find a way out of here. _Together_.”

“Please don’t be stupid about this.”

Link scoffed and stood up, pacing. Rhett took his hand and frowned.

“Listen, baby, I know you’re just thinking of me and I appreciate that so much, but we aren’t going to make it out of here if we both go out there. You know I’m right.”

Link pulled his hand away and sighed loudly. Of course Rhett was right. That didn’t mean that he had to give in and leave him here, did it?

Rhett sat up with a bit of a struggle and watched as the brunette paced anxiously around the room.

“I’m sorry. I don’t want you to go, either. But it’s the only way we’ll find safety.”

Link deflated and threw his head towards the blonde, searching steely gray eyes for any sign of budging. It was pointless, as he assumed it would be. He closed his own eyes, exasperated and wishing he could just go back to sleep, curled up against Rhett, forgetting that they were in any danger at all.

“C’mere.” Rhett’s voice was much less calculating and significantly warmer than it had been before as he pulled Link back onto the bed next to him.

“I don’t want to leave you.”

“I know.”

Rhett pressed his face into Link’s hair and took a deep breath. Link used one of his hands to smooth over the taller man’s chest. His breathing was calm, but his mind was far from it.

“When should I go?”

“Probably within the hour. Get the most out of the daylight.”

Link nodded, an odd juxtaposition of emotions surrounding him, feeling both hopeless and determined.

“I’ll split up the supplies for you.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I know you. You’d give yourself barely enough to scrape by just to make sure that I had enough.”

Rhett looked down with a sheepish smile on his face and Link chuckled. The air was heavy with unspoken fear, but they didn’t bother bringing it up. Stating fear was not going to solve the fear, it would only draw more attention to the emotion and cause excessive panic. Link thought that last part with a mirthless grin, the sentence sounding so much like something Rhett would say out loud as a form of twisted comfort.

“I love you.” The tall man’s voice was barely above a whisper, soft and gentle, as if afraid to speak.

“I love you more.” Link’s voice cracked and he was suddenly overwhelmed with the realization that this was the start of a goodbye.

He stood up moments later after kissing Rhett delicately, packing supplies quickly to avoid dwelling on the heavy weight in his chest at the prospect ahead of him. Halfway through getting ready to head out, the importance of his mission hit him in the chest and he whipped his head around to look at Rhett, panic taking over him.

“I can’t do this,” Link choked out, wishing his lungs would fill with air.

“You can. I know you can. You have to. For both of us,” Rhett hesitated for a moment, his own voice on the verge of breaking. “For me, Link.”

* * *

 

Their goodbyes were nearly tearful, but they held in their emotions until they both turned away. Rhett watched as Link walked into the forest, fear building in his stomach with every step that the brunette took.

It wasn’t fair. Link had just gotten back into his life, every dream coming true, and his heart feeling full for the first time in years just for it to be ripped away from him again. His head spun with the dangers that could await Link on his journey and he placed his face in his hands, trying to rub out the negativity that seemed to be leaking from his pores. Every possible worst case scenario and what if crawled out of the woodwork of his brain and clouded his entire thought process.

He felt overwhelmed and helpless, jerking his head up to glare angrily at his damaged ankle and cursing it out loudly. Rhett’s entire livelihood was taking care of and protecting the people that he loved. He determined that couldn’t stand thinking about the future any longer, a thought that he never expected to cross his mind, and decided that a nap would probably help him cope with all of the influx of emotions that he was feeling. Bypassing the logical part of his brain that reprimanded him for napping so shortly after waking up, blabbering on about sleep schedule and REM and spewing off random facts about the pros and cons of napping, Rhett positioned himself back where he was that morning and tried to ignore the scent of Link that lingered on the pillow underneath him.

* * *

 

The feet beneath Link seemed to carry him easily, as if they knew the path already. His mind was elsewhere, worrying about the safety of Rhett and what would happen while he sat helpless and alone in the building, no one to assist him and take his mind off of his ankle. He had been walking aimlessly for an hour now, praying for the sight of a paved road and doing his best to keep his pace and make sure he was staying in a straight line. Link’s worst nightmare was the possibility of finding help and then realizing that he had no idea how to get back to the resort.

The weather began to grow dark around him and he looked at the sky with frantic pleading, asking for some mercy. Just as light began to peak back over the clouds, the ground below him shook with vigor and sent him to the ground. He shielded his face with his arms, holding them protectively over his body as he quickly threw himself against a sturdy stump of a tree that didn’t show any signs of moving.

Debris fell around Link and he squeezed his eyes shut as tight as he could, hoping the earthquake would end soon and wishing he could open his eyes and be with Rhett again. Twenty minutes passed with no sign of the storm passing, the ground shaking much less intensely but with a steady rhythm. Usually, the man would be filled to the brim with blind frustration and anger, kicking the ground beneath him and exasperatingly sighing into the air as if that would help anything. Instead, his mind was focused on gray eyes and a soft, familiar smile. His head was already bent in his lap and he was growing uncomfortable, but he ignored the pain in his neck and sent a prayer to keep Rhett safe.

A moment passed and Link heard a sharp snap of a branch above him, moving out of the way just in time. Before he could thank his reflexes, his arm sent a throbbing pain through his mind and he yelled out as he turned to face it, blood pouring out of a wound and the bitter realization of the fact that it was completely broken smacking him in the face.

Unable to dwell on the irony of the situation, his vision clouding due to the sight of his own blood, Link was fainting beneath a shaky tree in the middle of an earthquake that didn't seem to want to stop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cliffhangers are my favorite. I planned on this being longer, but I liked this ending to the chapter so I'm gonna keep it like this and probably update again within the next day or two.


	9. Chapter 9

As soon as the ground started shaking, Rhett sat up with haste and his eyes darted towards the door. He wasn’t sure how soon he had been asleep, but he knew that Link couldn’t have gotten too far. With intense determination, he did his best to stand up, holding his injured ankle behind him as he took a few meager hops to gather the rest of the supplies that Link had so neatly laid out for the taller man, organized meticulously. It was much harder than he had anticipated to hop with the floor shaking so intensely beneath his feet. He was only a few hops out the door before a tree snapped and crashed a few hundred feet away from him and Rhett gave up on being gentle with himself, stepping down on his bad ankle and crying out as the pain shot up his leg.

Adrenaline alone carried him for upwards of forty minutes, rushing as fast as he could go, praying that Link would be okay when he met up with him and vacant tears of pain streaming down his face as his ankle protested loudly beneath his steps.  He spotted dark hair and felt relief flood his system, stepping towards the man and calling his name. When Link didn’t answer, Rhett’s heart fell to his stomach and he did his best to sprint towards the spot where the man was laying.

The blood that was coating the blue-eyed man’s arm sent panic through Rhett’s system, but he felt sweet relief as he remembered Link’s weakness when it came to blood and realized that the man was waking up from his fainting spell. His arm was surely broken and Rhett did his best to wrap the wound as Link had with his own ankle before he was completely conscious. Link’s eyes flickered open and Rhett felt even more relief flood his body.

“Rhett? What are you doing here?” Link’s voice was weak and slurred, still recovering from his fainting spell.

“You’re okay. I came to find you as soon as the earthquake started.”

“You did _what_? On your ankle?” The blue-eyed man shot up into sitting position and shoved Rhett back with an arm.

“Whoa, what the hell? Yes, on my ankle. I was worried!”

“You’re an idiot. You could’ve been killed. Trees were falling everywhere.” Link glared worriedly at Rhett and the blonde felt anger spark in his body, replacing the relief he had previously felt.

“And you couldn’t have? You did get hurt, Link.”

“I could’ve handled it on my own!”

“You obviously couldn’t have! You fainted and put yourself at even bigger risk of injury.” Rhett’s voice had risen significantly at this point, matching Link’s in volume. He paused for a moment before continuing. “Are you saying you want me to head back?”

Link’s eyes flared of anger and he ran both of his hands through his hair, breathing out sharply through his nose.

“It’s too far of a walk. You’ll just end up getting hurt. It’s pointless for you to turn back now.”

“I’d be fine. Maybe I should go back. Doesn’t seem like you want me here.” Rhett shot back.

“I don’t!” Link threw his arms into the air and Rhett winced at the words. He couldn’t think of anything else to say, so he opted for staring at the ground.

The silence was overwhelmingly tense and the air seemed much thicker. The earthquake had stopped fifteen minutes before Rhett had found Link and now the sky was dark, threatening to open up and start pouring like it had the night before. Instead of staring at everything except Link, Rhett decided to limp his way over to where he had dropped the tent and supplies and attempted setting everything up. The brunette joined him moments later, silently helping with his uninjured arm until the tent was officially up and the inside was prepared for them to sleep and relax inside.

The rain hadn’t started yet and a silent agreement was made to stay outside of the tent until the weather forced them into it, both men stubbornly angry with each other. Fifteen minutes passed of both of them standing at opposite ends of the tent, staring at nothing, and Rhett decided that it would probably be best for him to take a seat as his ankle throbbed.

The blonde attempted to prepare his mind for the pain that would surely come as he crouched on his bad ankle to get into sitting position, but failed miserably as he cried out weakly at the pain. Link’s stiff posture changed immediately and he rushed to where Rhett was, unwrapping his foot with cautious precision.

“How’s it lookin’, brother?” Rhett asked weakly, too physically exhausted to continue their silence and too afraid to look down at the injury himself.

“I’m afraid it’s not lookin’ too good,” Link replied, looking up into Rhett’s eyes. “It swelled up quite a bit and I think you’ve irritated the hell out of it. I don’t know if you’ll be able to move it tomorrow morning.”

“Shit,” Rhett sighed, shaking his head in frustration.

“It’s okay. We can just lay down for a while. I’ll rest my arm, you’ll rest your leg. We’ll take a day off.”

Rhett resisted the temptation to remind the smaller man that they had taken a day off the day before, and the night off the day before that. It was pointless to start another argument.

“Can you help me into the tent? You can stay out here afterwards if you’re still pissed off.”

Link nodded and assisted Rhett into bed, taking off his one shoe for him and brushing off the filthy underside of his injured foot with delicacy. Once Rhett was settled, the brunette cleaned himself up and lay down beside him.

“I’m not going to apologize for coming down here,” Rhett said. His voice was non-confrontational, but firm.

“I don’t expect you to.” Link’s reply was quiet and he shifted a little closer to the blonde.

“I was worried. I still am. I am sorry that I can’t make it back up to the building tomorrow. I know you don’t want me here.” Rhett couldn’t help the bitter edge that his voice took on as he recalled their earlier conversation. Link shook his head beside him and sat up to look the man more clearly in the eyes.

“It’s not that I don’t want you with me.” Link pressed his hand to Rhett’s chest. “I’m just afraid that you’re not safe here.”

“I’m as safe as you are.” Rhett’s voice was still firm, but he softened as he understood Link’s previous statement.

“Exactly. I don’t need you putting yourself in danger. You’re too important.”

“You’re important to me, too. Shouldn’t that count for something?” Rhett protested, pulling Link into his chest carefully.

“That’s not what I meant. You’re important to me, but you’re also important to other people.” Link curled further into Rhett as he spoke and his voice was much smaller. “You’re an uncle and a son and you have all of these relationships in your life. I have no one that will miss me, apart from you and my mother.”

He felt almost childlike as Rhett held onto him, voice just barely above a whisper, sounding simultaneously heartbroken and accepting. It was as if the man had determined that he was alone in his life years ago. The blonde nearly winced as he realized that it was probably a realization that had been triggered by his own foolish actions. He waited a moment before replying to Link, attempting to put together a sentence out of his jumbled thoughts that would prove how important the brunette truly was. When he finally spoke, his voice was clear and gentle.

“You are worth so much more than you realize. Not just to me, but to the world.”

“How can you be so confident in that when you don’t know me anymore?”

“You are still the Link Neal I grew up loving. You have that spark in you. You’re going to do something great.”

Link didn’t say anything more, but pressed his face into Rhett’s shoulder and rested his injured right arm on Rhett’s stomach carefully.

* * *

 

The taller of the two fell asleep much faster than Link did, the brunette kept awake by his anxious thoughts. He wished he could express the worry that ate away at his stomach that Rhett would realize who Link had turned into—a lonely, dejected, mundane engineer with almost no social life and an impressive amount of anxiety—and run far away in the opposite direction. As blissful as the days before had been, it was only a matter of time until Rhett discovered that the enthusiasm that Link once defined himself by was almost completely replaced by an anxious exhaustion with day to day life.

Shifting his weight slightly in discomfort with the way his thoughts were invading his mind, wishing he could fall asleep as easily as he used to be able to, Link sighed quietly into the night. Rhett stirred beside him and woke up at the movement, causing the brunette to feel a twinge of guilt.

“Go back to sleep,” Link whispered lovingly. Rhett’s sleepy eyes found his own and he pulled Link next to him.

“Your thoughts are keeping _me_ up. That’s how you know you’re thinkin’ too hard,” Rhett mumbled, his voice thick. Link chuckled and pressed against him, careful not to irritate either of their injuries. Before he could reply, the smell of fire and smoke filled his lungs and he shot up, Rhett following his movements exactly.

Rhett took action first, maneuvering himself cautiously to unzip the tent and peak out, a wildfire directly in front of them, spreading quickly as if sprinting towards the two men with intense vigor. As the tall man stared helplessly at the fire in front of him, Link pushed past him and grabbed his arm, pulling him hastily out of the tent. Rhett yelled in protest, hopping weakly on one foot. Without thinking, Link tossed the first bag he found to the blonde and hoisted him onto his back, taking off in a run, ignoring how his arm protested the movement and the sneaking suspicion that his legs would not carry either of them very far.

The flames blazed behind him and Link prayed for his adrenaline to last longer than the wildfire.


	10. Chapter 10

The amount of time that Link managed to carry the weight of Rhett’s body was impressive to say the least. They had made it to an empty field and the first flat space encountered in the downhill hike that they had become so accustomed to enduring. It was relatively easy for Link to ignore the pain that shot through his arm as it grasped desperately to the man on his back, as well as the exhaustion that his legs screamed at him with.

The stopping point was the field, almost completely devoid of trees and shrubbery, reaching the safe haven at the most convenient timing as Link’s legs began to give out beneath him. He hadn’t run that long in many years, collapsing onto the ground as soon as Rhett let go of him and balanced on one leg until taking a seat onto the grass, breathing heavily. Link felt worn out in an instant, the weight of the stress of the previous day pressing into him at every angle, combined with the new addition of physical exhaustion from the intense sprint.

Hit with the crashing reality that they had no form of shelter and a significantly decreased amount of supplies, Link frenzied into a full panic. From his position, laying on his back in the center of the field as the fire slowly died out before his eyes, he shot up and shut his eyes as tight as he could. His breathing was shallow and labored and the world seemed to close in on him. Before he could spin completely out of control and land himself into a pit of unyielding panic, Rhett whined involuntarily from beside him and he snapped out of it.

“Are you okay?” Link’s voice sounded like it came from outside of his body. He did his best to push himself over to where Rhett was positioned.

Rhett’s eyes flashed to the smaller man and he forced a nod, gritting his teeth as he replied. “’M fine.”

“Be honest.”

The blonde sighed and let go of his facial expression. His gray eyes seemed to dull slightly and he furrowed his brow in a wince as he adjusted slightly.

“I’m not okay. Neither are you, and as we’ve established, I value your health more than my own. So no, I’m not okay. But you look like you’re about to break down, brother.” Rhett took Link’s hand in his own and squeezed it. “We can’t fix my leg. Not in any way. But we can try to alieve some of your anxiety. So that’s what I want to focus on.”

Link felt a strange jump in his chest at Rhett’s words, momentarily overwhelmed by the amount of love that was directed towards him so continuously. Rhett was in an obvious amount of pain, probably feeling worse than Link had felt in his entire life, yet he was still adamantly focused on Link’s own mental health and emotional comfort.

It was such a stark contrast to what once was Rhett McLaughlin. He had always shown care for Link, but emotions were not something that the tall man tended to dwell on—especially as teenage boys in North Carolina. It felt surreal to know that the same little boy that Link was afraid to admit his fears to was right in front of him, holding his hand and proving how much he was invested in Link’s wellbeing. Although Rhett had already said that he had loved him, it was hard for the brunette to process and even harder to believe. It was earth shattering to feel the love that radiated off of the blonde at this moment, his eyes filled with only concern and care.

It felt unconditional. It felt legitimate and full, and Link was overwhelmed by how reciprocated the emotion was. He felt the intensity of love crash into him and it took his breath away while revitalizing him all at once.

Rhett moved himself despite the pain that was evident in his face to get closer to Link, sitting up fully and grasping his hand. The brunette snapped back into present time and blinked, now realizing that his eyes had been watering.

“Link,” Rhett started, eyes filled with worry as they scanned Link’s face. “Link, what’s wrong?”

“I’m okay.” Link blinked and a small smile began to spread on his lips. Rhett stared at him in confusion, dark brown eyebrows furrowed. His face was so close to the brunette and Link reached up to touch him, wondering what Rhett could be thinking about the contrast in his behavior.

“You’re okay?”

“We have no shelter. We barely have enough food. But I’m okay. I’m more than okay.” Link’s voice was soft and gentle and it took on a tone that he hadn’t heard himself take on before. Things were clicking into place, falling in front of him with effortless grace, and he understood how someone could fall in love with another person more than once.

“I don’t understand,” Rhett admitted, but most of the worry was gone from his expression, apart from the concern that lingered behind his beautiful eyes.

“I don’t know how to explain it to you, but trust me when I tell you that I am okay. I am great,” Link said with a smile, giddy to the point where he almost felt like laughing. His voice was still soft and filled with endless joy when he spoke again, cupping Rhett’s cheek. “I’m with you.”

A look of understanding and humble bashfulness took over the taller of the two’s face and the apples of his cheeks rose endearingly. The world stopped for a moment and Link could ignore the smoke that polluted the air around them and all of the upcoming crashes that were sure to tear them a new one, completely focused on the fact that _Rhett was in love with him, too_. He delicately pulled the tall man towards him, kissing him as his hands ran through blonde hair. He felt drunk and ridiculous, knowing that it was a possibility for the world to cave in on him as soon as he was out of this euphoria. Still, in that moment, Link couldn’t bring himself to care because he knew with his entire soul that Rhett would be right by his side for the rest of eternity. They pulled away eventually and Rhett smiled, eyes studying Link’s face in awe as he spoke.

“We really are soulmates, aren’t we?” His voice was filled with childlike excitement, slightly hushed and an octave higher than usual. Link’s face broke back into a brilliant smile and he gazed lovingly into Rhett’s eyes.

“I think we are.”

* * *

 

The high faded eventually as the pain brought both of the men back into reality, but the edge of the earlier part of the night had dissipated, leaving in its wake a vibrancy. Rhett watched as Link’s eyes struggled to stay open. The night had been long and it had to have been at least three in the morning.

Fully aware of the remarkable physical output that Link had endured that day and night, Rhett pulled the bag towards his resting body and searched it for anything that they could use as shelter, or at the very least, a bed. He came across a good amount of food and sighed in relief. Food turned out to be a good omen for the rest of the bag, Rhett coming across quite a few bottles of water. Unfortunately, the only suitable material he found that could bring extra comfort were a couple sweatshirts.

Rhett sat up and gestured for the brunette to do the same, gently guiding Link’s injured arm through one of the sleeves and helping adjust the material as Link moved slowly from the weight of his physical exhaustion. Rhett then threw one on himself as fast as he could, reveling in its warmth for a moment before pulled Link into his chest and laying them both back down on the ground.

“You need to sleep now. No more worrying, okay? Not tonight.” Rhett felt Link lay almost completely on top of him, his injured arm resting on the ground beside them. The blonde used a hand to brush through Link’s hair soothingly.

“Okay.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.” Link yawned loudly. He went silent for a few minutes and Rhett was sure he had fallen asleep until he heard a muffled whisper. “I love you so much, Rhett.”

“I love you, too, baby.”

Soon after Link’s soft snores filled his ears, Rhett fell asleep. Things felt easier, but there was no doubt in Rhett’s mind that the morning would bring more challenges. Right before sleep overcame him, he had the flash of panic that the probability of survival was rapidly decreasing. Still, he pushed the thought away and breathed in the scent of his best friend, his _soulmate_.

Like a pair of love-drunk teenagers, they fell asleep and fell in love beneath the chaos that consistently tried to tear them down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to end on a fluffy note. I was planning on making this chapter angsty or at least end it with a stressful cliffhanger, but I couldn't help myself.  
> Alright, so some news regarding the post date of the next chapter: I'll be out of state for about two weeks starting this Saturday, so this will be the last update for a while! I'm not sure if I'll be able to update at all in July due to all of my hectic summer plans, but of course I will try my best to get the next chapter up as soon as possible! I appreciate all of the comments and support I have gotten so far throughout my journey with my first serial fic! Thank you so much for your wonderful comments.  
> As always, I'd like to thank you for reading and welcome you to leave me feedback!


	11. Chapter 11

The first thing that Link noticed when he woke up was the bitter chill that the air had taken on. It was as if the weather were spiraling out of control, the winter coming several months earlier and neither man prepared for its disastrous consequences. Link shivered, his teeth chattering incessantly as he pulled himself closer to Rhett, ignoring the protest of movement that his body was sending him. It seemed as if carrying the taller man had brought on fifteen more injuries to his already exhausted body.

“Jesus, it is chilly,” Rhett’s voice whispered out into the air, a cloud of fog following the sound as it escaped from his mouth. Link opted for a brisk nod as he burrowed into the taller man’s chest.

“What are we going to do?” Link mumbled, feeling drops of snow collect on his body. They’d only been a sleep for a few hours, the snowfall waking both of them up almost as soon as it had started.

“I don’t know, Link,” Rhett murmured, his voice tinged with annoyance. Link tried not to let it bother him, knowing that the man was in immense physical pain. Still, he couldn’t help the edge to his tone as he replied.

“Sorry I asked.”

Rhett said nothing, huffing out something unintelligible under his breath, and Link could tell that the conditions placed on their shoulders were starting to get to the both of them. Begrudgingly accepting the fact that conflict would solve none of their problems, he carefully maneuvered his injured arm around Rhett and nuzzled into his chest lovingly.

“I think we should go back,” Link whispered, knowing that it was their safest bet but also aware that it could prevent them from reaching rescue.

“I’m not sure if we’ll make it there. And if we do, who’s to say that conditions don’t worsen and trap us there?” Rhett replied, running a hand through Link’s mussy hair. The brunette could tell that his companion’s confidence was faltering and it sent a wave of anxiety through his own body.

“What are our options?”

“We could stay outside, risk hypothermia and whatever else Mother Nature may throw at us as we try to find some shelter or some help with both of our injuries.”

“Alright. What else?”

“We could attempt to make it back up to the lobby and camp there for a day or two. Go back, maybe find our tent and the rest of our supplies. But that risks our chances of survival as well and there’s a large possibility that we end up trapped.”

“Is there a third option?”

Rhett pulled Link back slightly and kissed his forehead before looking him earnestly in the eyes.

“I know you’re scared. I’m scared, too. But I swear to you, we will find a way out of this. We’re not gonna die here.”

Link nodded at his words, wishing he couldn’t read Rhett’s forest gray eyes so clearly, knowing that the man wasn’t completely sure of himself but that he was determined to ease some of Link’s anxiety.

“I still don’t know what to do,” Link whispered, mostly to himself, feeling more hopeless than before. He tried to think about the positives of the situation, the fact that he was with Rhett and that they were together once more, but it was hard to put so much trust into someone who once abandoned him.

“It’s okay. I can decide for us if you can’t handle it.”

Link shook his head quickly.

“No. I want to decide. I just need time.”

Rhett’s gentle demeanor had diminished slightly when he replied.

“We don’t have time, Link.” His voice was still warm, but his words seemed more pressed and his eyebrows were raised.

Link repressed an annoyed sigh, feeling disheartened and worn out. He sat up quickly, rubbing his eyes with his hand and trying to fight his hot temper. He didn’t want to take his emotions out on his companion, but before he could help himself, he snapped.

“I know we don’t have time, Rhett. We don’t have time for anything. I barely have time to breathe. But, Christ, we just woke up and I need a minute before making a decision like this. Is that so unreasonable?”

Their anger was always contagious, had been ever since they were children. One would get fired up—usually Link—and the other would follow suit just as abruptly. Rhett’s jaw clenched and Link’s brain jumped backwards to their teen years, the anger gnawing at them silently as they were in each other’s presence, both seething until eventually the guilt one out in one of them—usually Link—and they made half-assed apologies and chose to ignore the fight altogether. At this point they were both separated from each other, not one part of their bodies touching as they sat up and stared at each other, fire behind their eyes.

“You’re the one who asked me what we were going to do today, Link. You were the one who instigated the conversation.”

Link fumbled for words, knowing that the taller man was right but still angry for the attitude he was woken up to today. Before he knew it, he was speaking without any thought behind his words, temper leading to territory he immediately regretted entering.

“I can’t believe you’re still the asshole you were all those years ago. Some things never change, do they?”

Rhett stared at him with fire behind his eyes, clearly hurt by the words but dead-set on hiding it.

“I guess not.”

Link’s head ached as the silence between them grew, guilt eating him. His pride didn’t allow him to apologize and as the seconds turned to minutes, the lack of body heat was getting to him. He looked down at himself, realizing what little clothes he had to cover him up, and tried to hide the chattering of his teeth. He was always worse with the cold than Rhett. They could be outside for hours during the winter as preteens and Link would be shivering from head to toe as his tall companion remained unfazed.

Link remembered more specific moments of their childhood that centered around the cold weather as he did his best to remain stoic, not wanting to show that the cold was bothering him, too proud to admit his discomfort. Instead, he dwelled on the nostalgia that seemed to keep building up inside of him as he spent time with Rhett. Though they were angry with each other, just the presence of the man who had been absent for his life for what seemed like an eternity brought back so many memories that Link hadn’t relived in years. It was easy to forget that they had spent time apart at all, so comfortable in each other that it felt like nothing had ever changed.

A gentle hand jerked Link out of his trance, pulling him towards Rhett’s taller frame.

“You’re making me shiver just by looking at you, you goof,” the blond remarked fondly. Link didn’t repress the sigh that escaped his lips at the contact.

“Maybe you were shiverin’ on your own. It’s cold out here,” Link replied, smiling as he felt Rhett’s chuckle reverberate through his chest onto Link’s back.

“That must be it. You want me to let you go back to sulking all by your lonesome, then?”

“No, no. I’d like to stay,” Link smiled, nuzzling into Rhett’s side and wincing immediately as his shoulder yelled in protest. Rhett’s eyes flickered to his own broken leg and he chuckled.

“You know, together I think our injuries cancel each other out. We combine to make one completely functional person.”

“That’s a silly way of saying that I complete you,” Link mumbled cheekily. Rhett hummed into his hair and pressed a cheek against his head.

“That too.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it.”

“I know.”

“Do you forgive me?”

“I think I might need some persuasion.”

Link maneuvered himself so he could look into gray eyes, his own lips downturned into a puppy-dog frown. He batted his eyelashes.

“While that _is_ pretty cute, but I meant something more like this.”

Rhett kissed Link deeply and the shorter of the two sighed dreamily into the action, hands delicately wrapping themselves around Rhett’s torso, careful not to agitate either of their injuries. Rhett’s tongue swept across Link’s lower lip and the brunet gasped, allowing full access to his mouth. Rhett pulled away only a moment later, Link’s lips following his until he was forced to break away, blushing as soon as he met Rhett’s amused eyes.

“I should be an asshole more often,” Link said, waggling his eyebrows despite the redness of his cheeks. Rhett let out a single loud laugh before raising one of his own dark brows.

“If you think that was good, wait til you see what happens when you’re nice to me.”

Link chuckled at this and rolled his eyes. He rested his head on top of Rhett’s shoulder and sighed, wishing they could pretend that the world wasn’t crumbling beneath them and stay there forever.

“Okay. I have an idea. Why don’t we go back to the lobby and stay there for a day or two? Once we get there we can at least map out a plan. There’s not much we can do out here but freeze to death and pretend we know where we’re going.”

Rhett nodded and Link moved out of his warm position against Rhett’s side to prepare to head towards shelter. When he met the taller man’s eyes, they were resigned and he had a look of dejection to him.

“What’s wrong?”

“Walking doesn’t sound very appealing to me right now. Standing up doesn’t, either. But I’m gonna have to do it either way, I guess.”

Link bent next to him quickly, abandoning the bag he had slung over his shoulder. Hoping his strength was enough and placing almost all of the job onto one arm as the other protested loudly at the small amount of pressure Link was applying to it, he lifted Rhett to his feet in a single movement. Link winced as soon as he let go of the now-balanced blonde, one foot lifted into the air behind him as he stared at his shorter companion in shock.

“I carried you all the way here last night,” Link reminded him, cocking an eyebrow. He was bluffing how strong he was, fully aware that the events previous night had been made possible only by sheer adrenaline and fear. Rhett rolled his eyes, a smile on his face.

“I’m sorry for underestimating you, Mr. Universe.”

Link grinned cheekily and morphed his face into a mock-serious expression, eyebrows scrunched together.

“You should be,” the brunet replied, voice thick with an Arnold Schwarzenegger impression that he had done countless times before. Rhett fully laughed at this, throwing his head back and grasping his chest with his left hand.

The mood had lightened significantly and Link was grateful for it, hoping that the arguments would decrease in frequency. It seemed that their patience was being tested and Link felt more confrontational than he usually did. He knew it was due to the consistent stress that they were both placed under, but it bothered him to dwell on. He wasn’t a generally angry person and he really despised arguing with Rhett.

“There you go thinking again,” Rhett remarked as they walked uphill, the taller man leaning heavily on Link with every tiny step that they took. It would probably take them at least an hour to get to their shelter, but the brunet didn’t mind. Whatever he could do to ease Rhett’s discomfort was at the top of his priority list.

“I’m just sorry I’ve been such a jerk.” Link paused in their steady movement, allowing Rhett to take a break and catch his breath.

“I’ve been a jerk, too. I catch myself being an ass all the time. But that’s what constant stress does to you, buddyroll. I’m not taking it too personally. Stop beating yourself up.”

Link nodded, knowing Rhett was right as he always seemed to be, and knew that it was pointless to dwell on something that he couldn’t change. He leaned up to kiss him swiftly on the cheek, the taller man blushing in response. Link smiled at this and offered his arm to him, preparing for the steep trek ahead. Rhett reached out to take it, but stopped suddenly as the bushes rustled behind them.

“Wait, what was that?”

Before Link had time to look, his ears were greeted with the unmistakable sound of an animal growling very close to where they were standing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it's taken me so long to update this! I've had such a hectic month and really wanted to make sure I could write the chapter as well as I could! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and that the cliffhanger frustrates you to no end!


End file.
